Previously, the inventors have identified and reported the use of a series of novel phospholipid ether (PLE) compounds demonstrating useful tumor specificity. See, e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/906,687, 11/177,749, 11/316,620, 11/382,645, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. While such PLE compounds are remarkably specific in targeting cancer yet versatile in the array of cancer types they target, the synthesis of PLE compounds is a multi-step procedure that requires the use of hazardous reagents and has limited versatility in terms of the starting reactants used in synthesizing alkyl chain length of the PLE tail.
Accordingly it is desirable to develop a more concise and less dangerous synthesis that also increases the versatility of the reactants used.